Tobinworld, named for founder’s son, turns 40
More than 40 years ago, Judy Weber was fed up because she could hardly find any support services for her young son, Tobin.
Her autistic son would physically hurt himself and others at a time when there were few places parents could go to receive support, let alone through a specialized school.
For Weber, her only option seemed to be leaving her son in the care of a state hospital where she feared he would spend his life restrained and drugged.
“I just couldn’t see that for my son,” she recalled this week.
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She went to Sacramento to lobby for more state-provided services for children with autism, sometimes taking other children with her “so legislators could see them,” she said. “I was angry at the system for not providing for them.”
She recalled once going to Sacramento to lobby and encountering Jerry Brown when he was serving his first term as governor.
“Jerry Brown was governor back then. I tried to get into his office and I couldn’t. I met him and his entourage when I was ready to give up and go home. He was so kind. I went up to him like a crazy lady and said, ‘Why aren’t there services for children like mine?’ He sent me back to the capitol with one of his people.’”
Weber went on to work with other parents to advocate for more state funding.
In 1976, Weber opened her school for her son and two other children inside a home in the San Fernando Valley and named it Tobinworld.
The school celebrated its 40th anniversary last month, and 81-year old Weber is still at the helm of the Glendale campus.
And she’s not looking to retire any time soon.
“I just can’t give it up. I enjoy what I do, and I deal with parents that have been around the block and are upset. Having been there, I can talk to them,” she said.
These days, Tobinworld has about 275 students enrolled, with some who are autistic and others dealing with severe emotional and behavioral challenges.
For a school that is often a parent’s last resort, Weber said, she credits a portion of its success to the way the school’s 175 employees reward students for learning how to control their behavior.
The school also maintains an open-door policy, welcoming parents to drop in at any time.
“We’re like a big extended family and [employees] care about the kids. Safety and caring is the most important thing. We teach the kids. We don’t just baby-sit with them,” Weber said. “We really make progress on our kids.”
In April, Weber will celebrate her son’s 50th birthday.
“He lives in an apartment with a full-time caretaker. He’s probably the most difficult kid we’ve ever had,” she said.
He’s still nonverbal, but his destructive behaviors are under control.
“He’s very happy, which is all a mom wants,” Weber said.
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Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
Twitter: @kellymcorrigan
